Gala

Based on what I saw at gala, It looks like this year's Junior women's champ seems to have some potential. She has much better skating skills and jumps than last year's champ. Hope she doesn't follow the footsteps of most previous junior champs.

One of the best reasons for Shawn to be on the podium is that we get treated to his show program.

I'd watch him any time over Weir.

Weir would never rip his shirt off during an exhibition. It takes him hours to get out of his elaborate gala costumes.

But really why bring Weir up? Him and Sawyer are completely different skaters with different styles and skills. Weir isn't in this competition or competing this season. Do those two have a past rivalry I don't know about? Did Weir bump Sawyer off a gala in the past?

Weir would never rip his shirt off during an exhibition. It takes him hours to get out of his elaborate gala costumes.

But really why bring Weir up? Him and Sawyer are completely different skaters with different styles and skills. Weir isn't in this competition or competing this season. Do those two have a past rivalry I don't know about? Did Weir bump Sawyer off a gala in the past?

When I watched Shawn last night in the gala, Johnny just popped in my head as a comparable artist. I realized Shawn never had the opportunity to be as appreciated. Given the grandioso direction Johnny is going, I am even more appreciative of Shawn's talent and artistry. I have always preferred pure talents much more than OTT costume and staging in performing arts.

When I watched Shawn last night in the gala, Johnny just popped in my head as a comparable artist. I realized Shawn never had the opportunity to be as appreciated. Given the grandioso direction Johnny is going, I am even more appreciative of Shawn's talent and artistry. I have always preferred pure talents much more than OTT costume and staging in performing arts.

The reason why Shawn doesn't get the same recognition as Weir or dozens of other skaters who are just as much in competition with Sawyer is because Sawyer's jumps aren't top level. His 3axel has always been whiffy, and his other jumps aren't huge or secure. Even with the skate of his life at this nationals, Sawyer got an UR call on his 3flip. He doesn't get the recognition because he doesn't get the results. It's hardly Weir's fault.

And do you really disdain showmanship and over the top performances? This gala performance which you seemed to enjoy had Sawyer ripping off his shirt! He performed as the Mad Hatter in his new LP. The cantilever Sawyer does in his competitive programs now come straight from show skating. He does backflips. He performed as Mozart in the past. His mentor is Toller Cranston. His split spins and spirals are all flashy as hell. Sawyer is an extremely extroverted and showy skater. It's what's great about him.

On the other hand, Weir is the one who has done many introspective and meditative skates to such pieces as Imagine, the Swan and Otonal.